


Chamomile and Conversation

by basically_npr_trash



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Deleted Scenes, Gen, Late Night Conversations, Tea, The Xhorhaus, i'm new to this and don't know what to tag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-17
Updated: 2020-07-17
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:55:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25342066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/basically_npr_trash/pseuds/basically_npr_trash
Summary: When Caleb can't get to sleep, Caduceus is there with good conversation and, of course, tea.
Comments: 10
Kudos: 33





	Chamomile and Conversation

Even in the total darkness of the Rosohna night, Caleb couldn’t find sleep. He wanted to blame it on Jester’s loud conversations with the Traveler or the never-ending light from Caduceus’s tree. But the drawn blinds kept things dark, and Jester’s room was on the opposite side of the Xhorhaus. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, his own mind was preventing his rest. 

At 11:06 the Nein said their goodbyes and headed to bed. At 11:50 Caleb put his book down and settled in for the night. Having found no sleep by 1:00, Caleb went back to the library. He finished the book at 1:56 and returned to bed, determined to get some sleep. It was now somewhere around 3:00. Well, 3:13 to be exact. Sometimes his keen mind was more of a curse than a blessing.

Face it, he wasn’t getting any sleep. Not tonight anyway. Caleb slid to the edge of his bed, planting his feet on the cold floor. He popped three globules into the air and squinted into the bright light. Dimming them, he headed to his wardrobe and pulled out his thickest pair of socks. He caught a glimpse of his reflection in the mirror. The reflection looked, well, tired. But that was to be expected. Even with a stable place to sleep, Caleb rarely got a full night’s rest. He raised a hand to his face, prodding softly at the dark circles under his eyes. It was unlikely his sleep schedule would ever even out. There was too much he couldn’t control in his sleep. Too much he never wanted to see again. He slipped on the socks and left his room.

The Nein hadn’t been living at the Xhorhaus for long, but Caleb knew the way to the kitchen with no problem. The globules of light bobbed along beside him. Moving through the dining room, Caleb noticed a familiar shadow in the kitchen. Caduceus was standing in the dark, rummaging through the cabinets above the sink. Caleb stopped in his tracks. Maybe it would be better to just go back to his room. He shouldn’t trouble Cad with his problems so late in the night. He turned to go.

“Mr. Caleb, what brings you to the kitchen on this quiet night?” _Scheisse_ , it was impossible to sneak anything past him.

“ _Hallo_ Caduceus, I could ask you the same question, could I not?”

“Huh, I guess you could.” Caduceus turned to face Caleb, a slow smile spreading on his face. “There are some plants here that prefer the light of the moon, so I sometimes get up in the night to look after them.”

“May the wonders of Xhorhas never cease.” Caleb sent a global into the kitchen to assist Caduceus in finding whatever he was rummaging for.

“Oh, thank you Mr. Caleb.” The firbolg pulled a kettle down and set it gently on the counter. “I was just making some tea. Care for a cup?”

“ _Ja_ , I don’t see why not.”

“Perfect.” Caduceus grabbed the kettle and headed toward the door. “I’m gonna grab water. Would you be able to start us a fire?”

Caleb knelt down by the fireplace. Casting burning hands, he set the tinder ablaze. The warmth of the flames prickled against Caleb’s exposed skin. Maybe he wouldn’t end up needing his wool socks after all. Grabbing two chairs from the dining room, he arranged himself in front of the fireplace and grabbed the poker. The flames quickly consumed the smallest of the wood before starting in on the edges of the larger logs.

Funny how easy this all was. Most days he cast spells without a second thought. A year ago, he measured each spell, saving every cast in case of disaster. Even when a spell could have made his life easier, he saved. Now, he didn’t have to be on edge—didn’t have to look over his shoulder every moment. Now, he had friends to do that for him. Now he could afford to trade burning hands for something as small as a cup of tea.

Caduceus plodded back into the kitchen, holding the kettle gingerly, careful not to spill any of the water. Caleb instinctually redirected his globules to light Cad’s way.

“Those are neat. I’m always forgetting where I keep my candles, and I can never find a match when I need it.” Caduceus positioned the kettle over the fire, grabbed the other chair, and sat down across from Caleb.

“They are very useful, _ja_. But what I’d really like are better eyes.”

Cad chuckled. “But then you’d have no use for such a lovely spell.” Caleb smiled but didn’t reply, and the two slipped into a comfortable silence. The tea kettle was a simple red clay. It was one of Caduceus’s first purchases in Xhorhas, though certainly not the only one he had in the house. Cad often brought this one when the group was traveling. It was more durable than the delicate, seafoam green kettle he brought with him from the Blooming Grove. The one with cherry blossoms brushed onto the surface. Sure, it would be a shame if the squat, clay kettle were to break, but losing his favorite relic of home was a non-starter. Plus, one could never have too many teapots, at least not according to Cad. The kettle started to whine, steam pouring out the spout. Caduceus stood and walked back toward the cabinets, trailed by a globule. He grabbed two cups from and headed toward the pantry.

“What kind of tea would you like Mr. Caleb?”

“What kind would you recommend?”

“Well, it is quite late. I think a calming chamomile might be best.” Caduceus disappeared briefly into the pantry, emerging with a small box of loose leaf tea and an infuser. He scooped the leaves into the small metal ball, careful not to spill, and dropped the ball into the boiling water. Caleb watched Cad's careful movements from his perch near the fire.

“Would you want something to go with the tea? I’m sure Jester has sweets hidden around here somewhere. Maybe a muffin or a scone?”

“Just the tea, please. I wouldn’t want Jester and Nott starting an investigation into the case of the missing baked goods.”

“Yes, yes. Maybe that’s for the best then.” Caduceus sank into his chair.

The tea brewed. Caleb listened to the sounds of the house around him. The steady rolling of the boiling water mingled with the fire’s irregular crackling. In the relative quiet, Caleb could even hear the firbolg’s gentle breathing, as steady as the water. Five and a half minutes later, Cad took the tea off the heat and poured it into the cups, setting the kettle on the ground between Caleb and himself. Caleb reached for the proffered cup, a rush of warmth soaking into his hands.

“ _Danke_.” He took a tentative sip and felt the warmth fill his body. This heat was less intense than the fire before him. It pooled gently in his stomach, a calming warmth. Steam rose quickly off the cup, and Caleb watched it swirl.

“You never answered my question.” Caduceus’s voice brought Caleb out of his thoughts.

“What question?”

“What brings you to the kitchen on this quiet night?”

“Ah, _ja_. That question.” Caleb took another sip, tracing the warmth through his body. “I could not find sleep.” Caduceus hummed softly, encouraging Caleb to go on. “There is so much to think about. It can be hard at times to, you know, to turn it off.”

“What seems to be troubling you?”

“Oh, you know, just the normal things. Nations at war. Friends always in danger. Secrets that, once understood, cannot be forgotten.”

“That is quite a load for any one person to carry.”

“I suppose. But I will make do. I have survived worse.” Caleb brought the cup of tea closer to his chest, letting the steam brush the bottom of his face and neck. “At least here it is only my thoughts that worry me.”

Caduceus reached over, placing his hand on Caleb’s shoulder. “Any time the load feels too heavy, I’ll be here.” Caleb placed his hand over top of Caduceus’s.

“After relying on only myself for so long, it is hard to remember how to rely on others.”

“I’ve been pushed out of my comfort zone by the Nein more times than I’m able to count,” Caduceus said, meeting the hesitancy in Caleb’s eyes. “But every time, our friends catch me before I even realize I’ve tripped. You’re safe here.” Caleb was safe. He knew that. He just needed more time to let it sink in. The Nein had his back. Even knowledge of his past didn't seem to alter their love for him. If there was ever a time in the last fifteen years for him to take a breath, it was now.

Caleb nodded, bringing his hand back down to his cup. “Thank you Caduceus. For the tea and the conversation.” Caleb started to clean up.

“Don’t worry about all that,” Caduceus said. “You just focus on getting some sleep.”

“ _Gute Nacht_ Caduceus.”

“Good night Mr. Caleb.”

Caleb walked back towards his room. He could feel the calming effects of the chamomile and the conversation slowing him down. He let the thoughts that had been consuming him a mere hour ago slip from his mind. Maybe tonight he would finally get some sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time writing FanFic, so please be nice.
> 
> German (Zemnien) Translations*  
> Scheisse--Shit  
> Hallo--Hello  
> Ja--Yes  
> Danke--Thank you  
> Gute Nacht--Good night
> 
> *I don't speak German and have never taken classes in the language. I tried to keep everything simple, but please let me know if I'm using words incorrectly.


End file.
